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Phone and account security checklist before you start dating

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Secure your phone and email with a PIN lock, strong unique passwords and multi-factor authentication before you meet anyone online.

4 minute readUpdated 2026-09-30

Before you start dating on Dateable, lock down your phone and your email account. Scammers use personal details like birthdays and pet names to break into your accounts, and if they do, they can change your passwords, intercept your bank messages, and lock you out of everything. A few small steps now stop this from happening to you.

Why dating sites make you a target

Dating sites hold your photos, messages, and sometimes your location. If a scammer gets in, they can impersonate you, message your contacts, or sell your photos. More importantly, dating sites are one path to your personal details: if your profile says you live in Fremantle and your password is your pet's name, a scammer has both pieces.

Start with a PIN lock on your phone

Use a PIN lock on your phone. ¹ A PIN stops someone who has your phone from downloading apps, resetting your passwords, or sending messages as you. Make it at least six digits, and do not use a date of birth or anything else in your profile.

If your phone is lost or stolen, a PIN also stops thieves from accessing your banking apps and location history.

Strong, unique passwords

A scammer who knows your email and one password will try that same password on your banking, social media, and Dateable accounts. One weak password is all they need. ²

Create a password that is at least twelve characters long and uses uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. Do not use birthdays, pet names, or anything that appears in your profile or on social media. Use a different password for every important account: your email, your bank, and your dating app. A password manager like Bitwarden or 1Password stores them securely so you do not have to remember them all.

I need a strong password that no one can guess. Let me use: JulyMorning$2024#Harbour. It has letters, numbers, symbols, and 28 characters. A password like this takes thousands of years to crack.

Multi-factor authentication on email and banking

Multi-factor authentication means you log in with your password and then prove you are really you another way, like a code sent to your phone. Even if a scammer knows your password, they cannot get in without your phone. ³

Turn on multi-factor authentication on:

• Your email account, because your password reset links go there.
• Your bank, because that is where your money is.
• Any dating app that holds your financial information.

Use an authenticator app like Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator, not SMS text messages if you can help it. Authenticator apps are safer: a scammer who ports your phone number cannot intercept a code from an app.

Turn off location services by default

Only switch on your phone's location services when you need them, and only give location permission to apps that genuinely need it. ¹ Sharing your location with a dating app is useful during a first date, but you do not need it on all the time.

Before you download the Dateable app, read its privacy policy. Make sure you understand what data it collects and what it does with it. Only download apps from your phone's official app store: Google Play or the App Store.

What your security answers reveal

Many accounts ask security questions to help you reset your password: Where were you born? What was your first pet's name? If any of these answers appear in your dating profile or on your social media, change your security answers right now. ² Scammers search for these details and use them to lock you out of your account.

If your profile says you grew up in Perth and your security question is 'Where were you born', change the answer to something random: 'Purple Kangaroo Festival', or anything that is true only for you and not online. Write it down somewhere safe so you do not forget it.

Signs your number has been ported

If a scammer ports your phone number to a different phone, they can intercept bank SMS codes and one-time PINs, and lock you out of your accounts. ³ Watch for these warning signs:

• Your phone loses service suddenly.
• You cannot log into your email or bank account, even though your password is correct.
• You get unexpected contact from your phone provider about your account or your number.
• You receive messages or notifications about accounts you do not recognise.

If this happens, call your phone provider straight away from a different phone or device. Tell them your account may have been compromised and ask them to lock it down.

If you are locked out of your account

Do these things in this order. ³

1. Call your bank from a phone number they have on file. Tell them your account may have been compromised. They can block suspicious transactions and help you change your password.
2. Call your phone provider. Tell them your number may have been ported without your permission. Ask them to reverse it and secure your account.
3. Contact IDCARE on 1800 595 160 (Monday to Friday, 7am-7pm AEST) for help with identity recovery. They are a free Australian service for people affected by identity theft and scams. From overseas, call +61 7 3555 5900.
4. Change the password on every account: email, dating apps, social media, and anything else. Use new, strong, unique passwords.

Do not wait for a perfect time. Call now. Speed matters here: the faster you act, the faster you can lock scammers out.

Sources

1. Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (2026). Mobile devices.
2. Get Cyber Safe (Government of Canada) (2023). Spot the signs of a catfish on dating platforms.
3. Scamwatch (ACCC) (2026). Account or identity takeover scams.